Best Method for Achieving Trim

[AliM]

I am looking to transition into tech diving soon, but I want to make sure that I've really mastered all the basic skills before doing so. One of the things I am struggling with right now is trim. I have multiple trim issues depending on which set of gear that I use:

1. In my 5mm wetsuit configuration, I tend to be feet heavy. This causes my head to rise too much. I did a recreational wreck dive recently and I constantly banged my tank on the doors as a result of my not-so-perfect horizontal trim.
2. In my WP D7 drysuit, I tend to be head heavy and my feet seem to float a little too easily. This was a huge problem for me on a dive that I did today. I had to constantly struggle against it and it made the dive not as smooth as it should have been. I think a big part of it is actually the undergarment and not the drysuit. I have dove with the same setup before without undergarment, and my feet were not as light as they were today. I think the undergarment (Fourth Element Arctics) traps too much gas and it messes up with my trim. I have purchased some Hollis F1 fins which are significantly heavier than my current fins (Apollo Bio Fins), so it should help somewhat.

My question is, in each situation, what is the best method to trim? Is it better to trim with weight pockets such as placing weights at the tank band (removing a pound or two from my waist weight belt) to fight the feet heavy scenario in case 1 and ankle weight to fight case 2? Or is it better to reconfigure/change my gear until I have a setup that is fully balanced? I am hoping for some general guidelines on the best methods for achieving trim.

I have nearly dialed my buoyancy control to a point where I want it to be for now, but my trim is still really terrible and it's a constant fight during dives. I would really like to fix this before attempting my advanced nitrox and decompression procedures class. Thank you for your help!

 

[dumpsterDiver]

If you want to get your head down, the most effective place to locate the weight will be high up. For a long time when diving certain wetsuit configurations and aluminum tanks I wore an ankle weight around the tank valve. .

 

[KevinNM]

In a single tank config, use a second tank band high on the tank to hold a couple of pouches you can put varying amounts of weight into. Move some weight from your waist to there to get your head down and experiment. In doubles use a v-weight and move weight to the pouch on the upper bolt.

In a DS, use heavy fins. Scubapro Jets or Hollis F1s are the most popular. With doubles some people use tail weights. I've been using them but have been encouraged to stop using them on my AL80s and just move to better diving tanks and learn how to manage going heads down by doing it and recovering.

I use arctics, they are much less floaty than the Bare SB midlayer. I just spent a few hours working with an instructor on DS buoyancy control and his suggestion was less air in the suit. Like run the valve open after you stretch the suit on the surface and then don't add any until about 20 feet (and then just little bits to take the squeeze a bit off) to minimize the suit bubble. That got rid of the gaiters I'd been using to keep air out of my feet.

But I think the best solution is to take a GUE fundamentals course. The instructor will fix your trim issue if you let them. Drive out to LA and spend a few days working with Steve Millinigton or Karim Hamza, or to Las Vegas with Kelly Colwell. Steve is a tech 1 instructor, I've taken classes from Steve and he was very good. Karim is a GUE instructor examiner and teaches all the tech courses and ccr, Kelly is a newer instructor I haven't interacted with, but the standards to become a GUE instructor are really high, so I'm confident he can help you out too.

 

[lermontov]

you could try getting some sheet lead from a builders hardware or plumber -cut it into strips and drill holes in it -then use zip ties to fix to the base of the BCD -take off /add weight to suit

 

[AJ]

The best way to achieve balance is to balance your rig for a specific configuration. I have four main configurations consisting of single/double tank and thin/thick undergarment. for every possible configuration I know where to put weight and how much. That's about the best you can do.

I use BP/W config, so this might make things a little different, but in general shift lead around until perfect trim is reached. Then mark all the webbing and weight locations so next toknow where to put it. I use dumpable weight with weight pockets on vacation, but for normal diving I use v-weights and P-weights to balance. Amount and place vary with undergarment.

 

[KenGordon]

I have never found a place where my trim is perfect without some effort to stay flat. In some configurations I am head heavy (twinset) - and some feet heay (JJ). I use different fins, a tail weight and so forth to move weight about to improve things but at the end of the day I have to choose to move my body into the position and maintain that by balance and effort.

How tight your harness is can make a difference too. Sometimes I feel the need to push my set further up my back in the water to change my trim. So you could find it too tight and too high, too loose and too low or some such thing.

You may also find that if you corner a top flight instructor and ask exactly how they can hover apparently motionless they might confess to small adjustments by kicks and back kicks.

I suggest spending time with an instructor who really knows their stuff. Have some goals beyond just hovering though, being able to do something else and still maintain trim is what you will want to do eventually.

 

[PfcAJ]

Don't get too caught up in the circle of trying to fiddle with gear to fix "problems". You dive the gear, it doesn't dive you.

 

[KevinNM]

Don't get too caught up in the circle of trying to fiddle with gear to fix "problems". You dive the gear, it doesn't dive you.

True. But it helps to get some expert advice in person on how to convince your rig that you are in charge.

 

[RyanT]

Hey AliM, a couple of things. First, what kind of set up are you diving? One of the really nice things about diving a BP/Wing is that you can often move your wing up or down a touch to adjust your trim, this is often all you need to balance everything out. It's always a good idea to work out your trim no matter what rig you dive. However, if you're goal is to move to doubles with a BP/Wing, what works to trim you in your current single tank rig will likely be very different in a set of doubles.

 

[AliM]

But I think the best solution is to take a GUE fundamentals course. The instructor will fix your trim issue if you let them. Drive out to LA and spend a few days working with Steve Millinigton or Karim Hamza, or to Las Vegas with Kelly Colwell. Steve is a tech 1 instructor, I've taken classes from Steve and he was very good. Karim is a GUE instructor examiner and teaches all the tech courses and ccr, Kelly is a newer instructor I haven't interacted with, but the standards to become a GUE instructor are really high, so I'm confident he can help you out too.

I have actually never heard of GUE courses. Is this separate from your certification courses (i.e. PADI, TDI, etc.) or is GUE an entirely separate certification agency? I am fortuitously going to be in LA next weekend, so I wonder if I could schedule something with Karim. I actually bought my original backplate/wing setup from him back in 2008.

I very strongly believe in the importance of fundamental training and skill development, so this would be a very useful class for me.

I have never found a place where my trim is perfect without some effort to stay flat. In some configurations I am head heavy (twinset) - and some feet heay (JJ). I use different fins, a tail weight and so forth to move weight about to improve things but at the end of the day I have to choose to move my body into the position and maintain that by balance and effort.

This is kind of what I was trying to figure out - whether it is best to trim for every individual configuration setup or if you have to just live with it. I understand that a little swimming to fight against slightly off trim is not a bad thing, but what I was experiencing was significantly worst. Ideally I would like to get to a point where I have minimized trim issues so it takes small effort to keep everything balanced.

Hey AliM, a couple of things. First, what kind of set up are you diving? One of the really nice things about diving a BP/Wing is that you can often move your wing up or down a touch to adjust your trim, this is often all you need to balance everything out. It's always a good idea to work out your trim no matter what rig you dive. However, if you're goal is to move to doubles with a BP/Wing, what works to trim you in your current single tank rig will likely be very different in a set of doubles.

I actually have only ever dove with a backplate/wing setup as that was the only BC I ever purchased. I currently have the following rig (I am only listing ones that significantly affect my buoyancy):

1. Hollis Stainless Steel backplate with 25 lb wing, Elite II Harness System, and Hollis 10 lb (per side) weight pouches
2. Waterproof D7 Pro Cordura Drysuit or Waterproof W4 5mm Wetsuit (depending on temperature)
3. Apollo Bio Fins (soon to be replaced with my Hollis F1)

Thank you all for the advice!